The 2000 Illinois State Fair offered a little bit of something for everyone. Corn dogs, lemonade shake ups, Tom Thumb donuts and of course the butter cow are some of the must see items that bring visitors year after year to the fair.
Since 1853, visitors have been coming to the Illinois State fair which is located in Springfield, IL, the state capital. The fair is located on more than 300 acres of ground. The fair includes a variety of exhibits, shows and entertainment and agricultural events. Last year, the fair set an all time attendance record of 1,095,559. Although the numbers are not in yet, this year’s crowd either topped or was close to this record number.
Along with the main events that happen each year, this year the fairgrounds were a bit different with the new rodeo arena that in July brought thousands of high school rodeo competitors to Springfield to compete in the high school rodeo finals.
Along with the new arena, the grounds took on a new look by dividing into four theme areas. The areas were divided into: city of Chicago, Hollywood, Key West and Wild Wild West. Walking through the various areas of the fair, the flavor of the theme areas was reflected in the decor and the entertainment of the area.
While agriculture is always a big draw at the fair, this year there was an impressive display of construction equipment on hand along with the farm equipment. One of those exhibitors, Kenny Tedrick of Kuhns Equipment said this is his sixth year attending the Illinois State fair. While Tedrick said he features New Holland, Massey and 27 short line products and consumer goods, he said he also sells Kubota products. At the fair, he had some examples of New Holland’s super boom skid steer loader.
The skid steer loader allows easy maneuverability to get in and out of tight places and a wide variety of attachments to do almost any light or heavy construction job.
Brochure information explained that the new LoadStar Program offers the opportunity for skid steer operators to enjoy a variety of attachments. Some of the attachments available for the skid steer loader include a load monitor, log grapple, low-flow planer, power box rake, rock wheel, scrap shear, manure scraper, hydraulic hammer, cement mixer and more than a dozen other attachments.
The benefits of exhibiting at the fair are not always visible while the 10-day event is happening. “I get a lot of quality leads. They [potential customers] know who you are and where you are. They let us know if we can help them,” Tedrick said.
Like the Illinois State Pair, Tedrick added that his company has long been a central Illinois tradition. Located in Taylorville, IL, Kuhns equipment is just about 20 miles southeast of Springfield. “Kuhns have been in agriculture since the late 40s. It is our intention to stay in business for the long-term for as long as we can. We are hoping for another 20 years,” he said.
Another group that is usually at the fair exhibiting is Martin Equip of Illinois. Martin Equip, which is located in Springfield, specializes in John Deere industrial equipment. Two of the examples they had on hand this year were the John Deere 670CH and the John Deere 310E. This backhoe is a stronger and more productive machine than its predecessor the 310D. The newer version according to company literature resulted in “a versatile 14-foot digging machine with substantial backhoe lift, crowd power, stability, and strength.”
Information also stated that the backhoe is also more nimble with quicker transport and cycle speeds. The 310E has 71 hp (53 kW) and the crane can lift 4,420 lbs. (2,005 kgs). With 190 degrees of rotation in the bucket linkage, this machine can offer easier excavating for construction equipment operators.
Pennell Forklift Service of Jacksonville, IL, also was on hand at this year’s Illinois State fair. Pennell offers certified operator training, service, parts, sales, rentals and just about anything anyone would need who uses or wants to use a forklift as part of their operation.
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